


Greener With The Scenery

by HoddieMaine



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Mentions of Anxiety, Mentions of Death, Multi, This is the road trip au that probably no one asked for, sorry Allura Shiro and Coran won't show up for at least another chapter, the rating may change further in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-09-03 00:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8689927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoddieMaine/pseuds/HoddieMaine
Summary: Some old dude kicking the bucket was not about to put a stop to the greatest summer vacation of his life. Hunk was going for his masters, and Pidge was a year behind them, but it was Keith and Lance’s last summer as college students, and they were going to go out in style before they had to join the real world, whatever that meant.OR The road trip au that no one asked for.





	1. Send Me On My Way

**Author's Note:**

> This will get angsty at some point, you've been warned. Title is from a song of the same name by The Used, I don't know, I just feel like they would be Keith's favorite band.
> 
> If you like what I do and would like to support me, please consider [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/A4054JO5)

_I would like to reach out my hand_  
_I may see you, I may tell you to run  
_You know what they say about the young__

____

____

\----------

Empty pizza boxes and crushed cans littered the small living room floor. Over the raucous of the others playing rock band, Keith could just barely hear his phone ringing in the other room. Pushing past the mound of luggage to get around a frantically strumming Lance, he managed to make it to the hall.

“Keith! You're supposed to take the guitar back after this,” Lance called after him followed by several expletives as he missed a chord.

“Lance, focus!” Pidge banged even harder on the drum set as if that would make her better somehow.

Keith sighed into a smile as he pushed into his bedroom. Normally a fairly organized guy, his room lay in considerable chaos after packing and unpacking at least a half dozen times. The discarded clothing and nonessentials heaped in random piles in the small space, creating an obstacle between him and where his phone sat plugged into the wall. The call went to voicemail as he half climbed onto his bed. 

“Keith! Come on, next song! Unless you want me to go all Brittany bitch with the headset. Do vocals and guitar like the rockstar I am.”

“No!” Hunk and Pidge both protested.

Keith grabbed his phone laughing and headed back into the living room. He swiped over to his voicemail box, the number unknown but the message was pretty long.

“Aw, come on, it's not that bad, Keith, tell them,” Lance pouted.

“Don't make me lie to our friends,” he said as he clicked play.

“Harsh, dude!”

“Lance you are the worst multitasker I have ever seen,” Pidge laughed. 

“Good evening, Mr. Kogane. My name is Ryan Everett,” the message stated.

“Yeah, no offense, but we were almost booed off the stage last time,” Hunk added.

“I'm an attorney that was employed by Mr. David Gun.”

Keith froze half way clambered over the back of the couch.

“What song do you want to play, Keith?”

“I regret to inform you that Mr. Gun has passed. However, as the sole recipient of his last will and testament, I would like to go over some-”

“Keith?”

Keith's thumb tightly held to where he had pressed the end button.

“Keith, buddy,” Lance asked far more gently than Keith was used to as he leaned into his line of sight.

Keith realized he was still awkwardly perched over the couch, breath caught somewhere in his chest, face paled as his pulse skyrocketed.

“Keith, are you ok,” Lance asked, brows knit together, hand hesitantly reaching out towards Keith. “What's wrong?”

“My…” His mouth was suddenly dry. “My grandfather passed away?”

\----------

“No, guys, we’re still going! I'm not gonna say it again,” Keith huffed as he shoved the last of the luggage into the trunk of Lance’s beat up blue ‘89 Honda Civic hatchback.

“Keith! It's your grandpa! I don't get-” Lance started before Hunk could pull him back.

“Keith, I know you said you don't want to talk about it, and we're gonna respect that,” Hunk looked pointedly at Lance as he said it. “But, this is kind of a shock, and none of us mind postponing the trip.”

“No! We've been planning this for months! I'm not gonna let some stranger ruin it! He wasn't a part of my life before, so why should he be now?”

“But, Keith-”

“No, Lance! Let's get in the fucking car and go!”

The dusty colors of early morning were just beginning to streak across the sky. Keith had refused to say much more after the voicemail. His roommates tried to console him in their unique ways, but the problem was that Keith wasn't upset. David Gun was his mother’s father, and as far as Keith knew, he had never met the man. Why would he be broken up about someone that he had never known? He only even knew his name after pulling old records to apply for college.

Some old dude kicking the bucket was not about to put a stop to the greatest summer vacation of his life. Hunk was going for his masters, and Pidge was a year behind them, but it was Keith and Lance’s last summer as college students, and they were going to go out in style before they had to join the real world, whatever that meant. It's not like they didn't all have full time jobs already. They had all worked endless hours to save for this and David fucking Gun was not messing with it.

“You're not gonna talk him out of it, Lance,” Pidge remarked as she locked the door behind her and shoved into the backseat, pillow and blanket in tow.

“Fine,” Lance mumbled, deflated. “I just want you to be ok.”

“I'm fine, Lance, I'm great. Let's just get going before the sun gets too high and I can't sleep in your hotbox death trap on wheels.” Keith squeezed into the backseat along with Pidge as Hunk got comfortable in shotgun.

“Hey! Blue is perfectly safe! And the ac totally works, just not a hundred percent of the time, like 93 percent of the time. Besides, windows down is like road trip 101. Be the stupid indie movies I know you secretly love.”

Keith rolled his eyes as Lance turned the engine over and pulled away from their shared rental. 

\----------

Lance had crafted “the perfect playlist, guys, like the end all be all of road trip soundtracks.” The first notes of the flute trilled out and Lance joyfully sang about sending them on their way. 

“I would like to reach out my hand, umasaya ummateyatrun, yunasaybuddyyayoung-”

“None of that was English… or lyrics for that matter.”

“Don't hate. This is the first song on any road trip playlist worth anything, and you have to sing it like that or it's bad luck for the trip. McClain family rules, ” Lance laughed continuing to mush mouth through the song.

\----------

Pennsylvania farmland whizzed past as Keith stared out the window. Lance and Hunk bopped along to a baffling playlist of practically everything under the sun. Seriously, Lance's taste in music gave him whiplash. It was something he was still getting used to.

The first argument they had ever had was about music.

Keith had never paid attention to the lanky smartass that asked too many questions and sat behind him every single day in his advanced calculus class until the very same smartass practically begged him for a copy of his notes from the previous class. He had tried to bow out of it, but this guy had been so persistent and in an attempt to get him to shut up and let Keith go about his business, he had agreed. No such luck. Lance had chatted nonstop as he followed Keith to the library and watched him make copies. It turns out the guy didn't even need Keith to participate to hold a conversation so it came as a shock when he realized he had somehow agreed to have lunch with Lance and his friend.

Something about his classmate was just hard to turn down, it was like his mile a minute talking hypnotized you into just agreeing. Well, it hadn't taken Keith very long to break that spell as he and Lance argued the entire time they walked to the dining hall, ordered food and sat down next to a bewildered student. Lance had teased Keith that he was the poster boy for sad angsty My Chem fans, and when Keith had told him they were alright but he preferred The Used, you would have thought Keith kicked a puppy. Turns out Lance was actually the die hard MCR fan. Hunk had been easy to talk to though, and in no time Keith found himself laughing and letting down his perfectly crafted guard just an inch with these two weirdos. It was clear Lance and Hunk had known each other for a very long time. All three were half way through their sophomore year.

He was introduced to Pidge about a month later when they had run into Keith while he was getting a snack from the 7/11 down the street from his dorm. They were on their way to a movie and loading up their bags with candy to sneak in. Lance invited him to join. He had protested, he had a paper to finish, but just as before, Lance had somehow talked him into it without Keith's approval.

It went like that for months. Running into each other by accident and hanging out for a couple hours before going their separate ways. Until one day Keith was having lunch in a dining hall and suddenly he was surrounded by the others. And then again the next day. And the next. All at once Keith had gone from a solitary unit to part of this weird pack of misfits.

Over a year after meeting Lance, and they all decided to get a place together. They were always at each other's dorms anyway, crashing on the floor and avoiding flatmates. It's been about a month and it still feels so surreal to Keith. That these people want to be stuck in a house with him.

“We’re getting close to the border and I gotta pee,” Lance announces, pulling Keith from his thoughts.

“Already?” Pidge marks her spot in her book, setting it down and repositioning herself.

“I didn't get a chance to go before we left!” Lance catches Keith's eye in the rear view before snapping his gaze back on the road, a guilty blush creeping across his cheeks.

“We need snacks anyway.”

“Good call, Hunk! You grab the goods while I pee.”

Lance pulls over into a grimy looking gas station and practically runs into the building. Keith and the others unfold themselves from the small car, stretching and following after.

Keith helps Hunk pick out a cornucopia of unhealthy snack options while Pidge grabs bottles of their favorite drinks. 

“Hey, Keith, do you mind swapping seats for awhile? I was up all night texting Shay and I'm about to crash, but you know how Lance is, needs company or he gets antsy.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Cool, thanks, man!”

They paid for their bounty, Lance meeting them at the door. If Lance objected the new seating arrangements, he didn't say.

They were right on the cusp of Virginia now. They had about 8 hours to Nashville if Lance didn't drive like an old lady. They would stay the night there and then from there it would be about 6 hours to Destin, Florida. Of course, knowing his roommates, there would be too many stops and Lance would get lost at least once.

Lance jacked with his phone for a second or two before the music started back up. He beamed at Keith as he threw the car in reverse.

Hunk was snoring in a matter of minutes, and when Keith turned in his seat, he saw Pidge flopped across his lap, her headphones jammed into her ears and sleeping just as soundly. He smiled before turning back and offering Lance some chips.

“So… you really don't want to go to the man’s funeral?” Lance took a chip.

“Why do you have to ruin a perfectly good time?” Keith scowled, shoving more chips into his mouth.

“I just want to make sure… you're not even curious about the will? I'm sorry, I heard you pacing in your room last night.” Lance chanced a look at Keith.

He wanted to be mad at Lance, but he was on vacation dammit. He sighed, looking straight into the highway ahead of them.

“I don't want anything from that guy.”

“Okay.”

Keith had expected more questions, a fight even, but Lance just continued driving, humming softly to the music playing in the background.

As subtly shifting scenery passed them by, they talked about their plans for once they got to the beach. Lance smiled widely as he talked about painting Nashville red before they crashed tonight. It was easy. Easier than Keith had ever really expected it to be between them when they had first started hanging out. While there were days that Keith wanted to kill his roommate, he really had to admit that this idiot had become one of his best friends. He had never actually had any before these three, but it still surprised him.

The sun beat down on them. Keith removed his light plaid shirt, fully regretting the black jeans and v-neck he was wearing underneath.

“God it's so fucking hot in here.” Keith rolled down his window a little further.

Lance wiped the sweat from his brow as he watched him do so. Signs flew past them as they neared the next town. Lance lazily bounced his gaze back and forth between the road and everything they were quickly leaving behind them. His head snapped towards Keith, fixing him with a conspiratorial look.

“I've got an idea.”


	2. I Can Be Right Here Empty With You

_I haven't lost anything except my mind_  
_Expect a thousand confessions that you will not find_  
_I try to take off my head sometimes,_  
_Because I can't escape the memories  
I haven't lost anything except my mind _

_____ _

_____ _

\----------

A series of turns and back roads and Keith was starting to worry Lance had lost his mind.

“Lance, where the hell are you taking us? This looks like the beginning of a horror movie.”

The road, if you could call it that, was barely more than a dirt path. Trees lined the sides and Keith couldn't see anything that could have possibly brought them here through the foliage. Keith was pretty sure they could kiss making it to Nashville by dinner time goodbye. Lance bounced excitedly in his seat, beaming.

“You'll see!”

They rounded a bend and a brightly colored, if outdated, sign came into view. REPTILES AND MORE it proudly proclaimed, a vibrant lizard the size of the car curled around the billboard.

Big Lou’s Lizard Emporium was a hideous pink and green building covered in more signs boasting the incredible menagerie that supposedly waited behind the doors. Lance parked among the handful of other vehicles in the lot. As he shut off the engine, Hunk and Pidge began to stir.

“Are we really stopping again? How long was I out,” Pidge asked, sitting up and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Not long, Lance brought us to some House of 1000 Corpses roadside attraction to have us all murdered,” Keith supplied.

“Excuse me! This is mandatory roadtrip material! You gotta stop at all the cheesy weird places you pass! Roadtrip! Roadtrip! Roadtrip!”

“We really don't,” Keith muttered, but Lance was already out of the car continuing his chant.

The others followed suit, catching up with Lance as he neared the door.

“Roadtrriiip!” Lance gave Hunk a double high five before turning and opening the door.

Keith was immediately hit with the smell of hay, mildew and reptile shit. The front door opened to a large room lined with terrariums of various sizes. A middle aged woman with far too much pep bustled over to their group as Lance and Pidge peaked into the closest habitat.

“Hello, and welcome to Big Lou’s Lizard Emporium, home to Virginia’s biggest chinchilla!”

Lance laughed as he spun around, grabbing hold of Keith.

“Chinchillas aren't reptiles!”

“Thank you, Lance, for stating the obvious,” Keith groaned. Did any of them even like reptiles that much? Why were they here?

“Reptiles and more, hun!” The woman smiled brightly at them as she gestured for them to follow her. She brought them to a stop in the middle of the large room.

“Now, this is the big top, you're welcome to just spend time in here for free. The Lizard Parade is ten dollars a pop, and a picture with Greta is five.”

“Who's Greta,” Lance asked, giddy as a school child.

“The chinchilla, of course!”

“Oh my god, we have to get a picture with Greta!”

“Lance, do you really want to use up part of your souvenir budget on a picture of a big chinchilla,” Hunk asked.

“Not just A big chinchilla, Hunk, THE big chinchilla! And it's a picture with her. Proof that we met greatness,” Lance said wistfully as he pulled out his wallet. “Take us to her.”

They were led into a much smaller room off to the side. They were instructed to stand behind a podium draped with red fabric. Moments later another employee brought in Greta and set her on the podium after telling the group not to touch her. Lance gasped when she was placed in front of him. 

“I love her,” he whispered, clutching Hunk to keep from reaching out.

Keith didn't get it, she was just an overgrown aging rodent. She just sat there. He furrowed his brow.

“Okay, look into the camera, and on the count of three..”

Lance pulled Hunk and Keith up against him, and Hunk pulled Pidge into his side. The bulb flashed and Greta’s escort whisked her away. They waited out in the big top room for their photo to print.

They wandered around and peered in at various reptiles, amphibians and arachnids. Lance had his phone out, taking pictures of his favorites as well as Hunk and Pidge making silly faces.

“Keith, come take a picture with me and this weird guppy thing!”

Keith wandered over, Lance threw an arm around his shoulder and lifted the phone in front of them. He snapped a photo, and then shook Keith.

“Come on, aren't you having fun?”

“I guess.”

“Well, your stink face says otherwise.”

Keith tried to bite back the smile threatening to show. Lance was so over the top about everything. He heard a shutter noise from across the room.

“Got it,” Hunk called.

“My man! Send it to me!” Lance was laughing, and damn was it infectious. Despite their obvious dysfunction, Lance really had become his best friend, and while he DID NOT feel down, Lance still managed to make him feel just a little bit better. Pidge was cracking jokes about a frog she found that was either some boy, Kermit, or maybe the skunk from the old cartoons. Whatever she was talking about had Lance and Hunk busting up. 

“Okay, one more,” Lance managed through his giggles.

Keith could see a genuine smile on both of their faces. Lance snapped the picture and beamed at him. 

“This one is pretty good!”

The lady brought their picture to them and Lance practically knocked her over to get it. It was one of the more odd pictures Keith had ever taken.

“Oh my god, Keith, what is that face? It looks like Greta personally offended you! I love it!”

They laughed all the way out to the car. Keith had the dumb picture in his lap, and couldn't stop looking at it all the way back to the highway.

\----------

It smelled fresher here. The trees and sloping mountains drifted by and Keith practically hung out the window trying to take it all in. At Pidge’s and Keith’s insistence, Lance had grudgingly moved on from the bubble gum pop and Lana Del Rey tunes to a jumble of film scores and classic rock songs. There was even the occasional song from The Used in there, and Keith realized Lance must have added music specifically for each of them. He smiled as he mouthed along to his favorite songs.

The sun shone brightly, but there was significant cloud coverage, the perfect driving weather. Lance smiled at him and took on the worst impression of Bert’s voice Keith had ever heard.

“I HAVENT LOST ANYTHING EXCEPT MY MIIIINND!”

“Why are you like this,” Keith laughed.

Lance paused the song. And turned his face as much as he could towards Keith without completely turning away from the road.

“Listen, I know Hunk’s right and I should just drop it, but-”

“Lance…” Keith warned, a scowl pulling at his brow.

“I just want you to know that we care, and all of us are here to talk, even me… and like, I just want to make sure you're not just hiding how upset you are, because I know you do that and-”

“Lance!” Keith cut off his rambling, a warmth filled his chest. It was comforting to know just how much they all cared about him. “I appreciate it, but I'm not upset, I don't really feel anything about it… I don't know.”

Lance peered at him as if his thoughts would be embedded in his skin.

“Ok.”

He turned the music back up and eased right back into his terrible singing as if he had never stopped.

“YOU COULD BE EMPTAAAYY AND I COULD BE RIGHT HERE EMPTY WITH YOOOUU OR YOU COULD BE HOOOLLOOOOWW AND I CAN BE RIGHT HERE HOLLOW WITH YOU-”

\----------

They had rearranged to have Hunk driving and Lance doing a poor job of navigating as they approached Nashville. The plan was to check into the hotel and then get dinner and hit a few bars. Luckily they had made pretty good time, mostly thanks to Keith’s driving ‘like a bat outta hell’ according to Lance, and were only arriving about an hour behind schedule.

Neon lights of every shape and color glittered above them as they cruised down the main drag. The warm breeze wafting through the open windows brought with it the mouth watering aroma of southern comfort food and a carousel of musical genres reverberating from nearly every building they passed. Lance spun around in his seat, eyes wide.

“This night is gonna be wild.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this seems really short compared to the first chapter, but I didn't want to split up the Nashville stuff but if I put both together it would have been insanely long. Also basically this whole chapter has been written for months and has just been sitting around. I don't know if anyone is even reading this thing lol so maybe it doesn't matter.
> 
> Come keep me motivated!  
> Main blog hoddiemaine  
> Voltron centric blog joinmeinthishell


	3. I Gotta Get A Move On Before The Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, I went back and changed and added some stuff to the last two chapters, I wasn't happy with them, I'm still not happy with them lol but I hope they're a little better. I don't have anyone beta-ing my stuff, I'm sure you can tell.... if anyone is interested, let me know lol

_Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights_  
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours  
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers  
And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight 

\----------

Nashville. Athens of the South. Music City. 

Keith had moved an awful lot growing up. He'd been to his fair share of “music cities” and they all seemed like knock offs of each other. Maybe it was the bright lights or the infectious energy of his friends, but Keith could feel a sort of magic in the air, the electric buzz of a hundred amps thrumming through his veins.

The motel was nothing special. It was dingy and a little run down, but Lance insisted it had charm. Pidge insisted it was the cheapest in the area. Hunk and Keith were just happy that they had free coffee and breakfast in the morning.

“I call bathroom first,” Lance squealed as he pulled his bag free from the trunk.

“Lance, are you kidding me?! I've been holding my pee for like 30 minutes because SOMEONE insisted we just hurry up and get here!” Pidge shoved past Keith to grab her bag and tore after Lance to the room.

Hunk and Keith grabbed the remaining luggage and hefted it over the curb and into the small room. Two full beds sat on either end of the shag carpeted space. A tv that Keith doubted was from this decade sat atop a wide dresser, a mini fridge pressed up against the end closest to the door. Lance leaned up against the closet vanity hybrid just outside the bathroom door.

“Her elbows are like tiny daggers,” he pouted.

“Pidge and I call the window bed,” Hunk chuckled.

In the time it took Keith to groan oh come on, Lance had shot across the room and next to Hunk, hands clasped together and pleading.

“Hunk, please, my best friend in the whole world, light of my life, the only good person I know-”

“Hey!”

“Shush, Keith. Buddy, pal, please please don't make me share a bed with Keith!”

“Wow, what the fuck?”

“Dude, I'm the biggest and Pidge is the smallest, it only makes sense for us to share and you and Keith to share.”

“Yeah, besides, I don't want to be crushed to death by your noodle arms when you turn into an octopus in your sleep,” Pidge called as she emerged from the bathroom.

Lance tipped his head back and let out the most exasperated groan as he stomped to the bathroom. Keith claimed a side of the bed and started to dig through his bag, settling in.

It wasn't like he was thrilled to share a bed, period, but Hunk made sense, and he'd deal with it like an adult and not a petulant child like Lance. The room steadily filled with chatter, discarded clothing and Lance’s overpowering cologne as they got ready for the evening.

Despite what he continued to tell Lance, Keith actually was excited for their supposed wild night.

\----------

The singer songwriter in all their open mic glory crooned from the small stage in the corner as they slid into an open booth in the bar. Lance smiled widely and spun as much as he could trapped in the booth between Keith and the wall.

“This place is amazing!”

“It's not that different from the bars we go to back home,” Keith mused.

“Keith! Come on! Where is your sense of adventure, your sense of wonder?!” Lance plopped back down and picked up a menu. “We’re in the south, everyone is nicer here, and we're drifters from out of town, we could save the day and ride into the sunset if we wanted to.”

“You watch too many movies,” Hunk laughed.

“Blame Mr. Film Major over here,” Lance tipped his head towards Keith.

“Ok, first of all, you were already a film junkie before I met you, and two, I don't even remember the last time we watched a western,” Keith smiled despite himself. Maybe Lance was right, there was definitely something about being in a different place, a stranger in a strange land.

“Besides, Lance, aren't you from the south? Shouldn't you be immune to the charm?” Pidge peeked up from behind her own menu.

Keith whipped his head towards Lance.

“I thought your family lived in New York,” Keith questioned, trying and failing not to sound shocked.

“They do. Now,” He added, one eyebrow raised quizzically at Keith. “We moved to NYC after my mom remarried. Why?”

Keith opened and closed his mouth a couple times. “Where? I-”

“What can I get y'all tonight,” a pretty young woman with long hair and even longer legs drawled as she stepped up to the table.

“Yeah, can I-” Keith started before Lance practically launched across him and the table, the smarmiest grin on his face.

“Well, hello.” 

Keith shoved his idiot friend back into his seat and fixed him with a pointed glare. The waitress laughed, and Keith watched the dopey grin and blush work its way across Lance’s face, moony eyes and all.

Hunk jumped in and ordered, the rest of the group following his lead. A round of drinks were dropped off, and Keith was finally starting to enjoy the almost rowdy atmosphere. It wasn't really his scene, but his friends made the difference, and the music was alright. The same waitress brought out their food, and it smelled amazing.

“You think I have shot,” Lance whispered just loud enough for the table to hear.

“Lance, she's working, leave her alone,” Hunk chided.

“The waitress that hasn't spared you a glance since you ordered?” Pidge laughed.

“Nah, we definitely made eyes.” Lance waggled his eyebrows at his friends.

“Please,” Pidge continued. “She's barely notified anyone but Keith this whole time.”

“WHAT,” Lance and Keith both choked out at the same time.

Pidge cackled, narrowly avoiding choking on a fry.

“Yeah, she's been steady hitting on him since we sat down.”

Keith looked incredulously over his shoulder to where the woman stood serving drinks at the bar. He caught her eye and she winked at him, sliding the drink to a customer. He snapped back to the table, but Lance must have seen the exchange because his face scrunched up in a bitter shade of red as he scowled at Keith. Pidge laughed again.

“You can't tell me neither of you morons noticed her laughing at Keith’s antics and putting her hand on his shoulder every time she comes to the table!”

“I thought she was laughing at Lance’s terrible attempt at flirting. And that she was just being nice!”

“My flirting is not terrible!”

“Your flirting is definitely terrible, Lance,” Hunk interjected.

“The worst,” Pidge added.

“I can't believe- how could- my best friends-” Lance clutched his chest and wilted against the wall.

Keith patted his shoulder awkwardly.

“If it makes you feel any better, I am 100% not interested.”

“That's ‘cause you're a crazy person,” Lance moped. “But of course she likes you, and of course you couldn't give a damn.”

“What's that supposed to-”

Suddenly a new band started up on the stage and the whole place erupted in cheers and shouting, several people nearby getting up and moving towards the makeshift dance floor by the stage. The waitress walked up to deliver another round of drinks, and now Keith couldn't ignore the looks and flirtations she was sending his way.

“Hey what's going on,” Lance practically yelled over the new chaos.

“Popular local band. They're pretty big around here.”

Lance started to push Keith out of the booth.

“What, Lance, what the fuck, what are you doing?” He barely caught himself from falling onto his ass.

“Come on, I want to dance!”

“And why do I have to go with you?! Take Hunk or Pidge!”

“You were in the way,” Lance laughed, but he grabbed Keith by the wrist and pulled him along anyway.

The music was a wild hybrid of rock, folk and jazz, but with an unmistakably hip hop drum beat. Of course Lance liked it. Keith swore he fought against the tug on his wrist, but how slim Lance seemed, he must be hiding more muscle than Keith realized, because he found himself in the middle of the swirling group of dancers.

Keith didn't really dance. As far as he could tell most of the crowd was mixing swing dancing and two stepping, but the pattern was completely lost on him. Lance was bouncing next to him like they were at a rock show.

“Keith,” Lance laughed. “What are you doing? Move, you weirdo.”

Lance grabbed him again and pulled him into a spin like he remembered doing on the playground as a kid. Keith started to feel dizzy whether it was the drinks or the spinning or just clinging onto Lance- Wait. What.

Lance slowed the spin, dropping Keith’s hands in the process to start bouncing again, watching the partnered up people around them. Keith watched his friend for a second. He felt like he needed to sit down.

“Ok, I think I got it!” Lance grabbed Keith’s hand again and pulled him into a wild haphazard swing dance peppered with complicated country dancing style spins. Keith was going to puke. Lance must have noticed the terror in his face. Hopefully he hadn't noticed the blush.

“You alright?”

Keith swallowed the lump in his throat. Trying desperately not to freak out surrounded by all these strangers. The song changed to one Keith was familiar with, vaguely recalling Lance throwing a fit when it was “subparly covered”. Keith wondered how he'd feel about this cover, but it seemed he was too focused on Keith to have even noticed the shift.

“I need to sit down.”

They made their way over to their table, but Hunk and Pidge were replaced by some drunk frat dudes.

“Uhhh.” Lance looked all around them, but Keith spotted the waitress first.

“Hey, what happened to our friends?”

“The tall one paid and they left, said you were big boys and could handle yourselves,” she laughed. “You know… I get out of here in like 10 minutes, if you wanna hang around.”

Keith was about to politely decline, but Lance practically shoved him out of the way. 

“Nah, we’re good, thanks!” 

Keith struggled to stay upright with Lance slumped against him.

“I don't think she was talking to you,” Keith huffed. He had half a mind to say yes just to spite his friend.

Lance pulled him away from the shocked waitress and pushed him towards the door. The strong drinks they had been consuming through the evening were definitely taking a toll, as Keith had to pull Lance’s stumbling ass back from the busy road more than a couple times, and he could feel the flush of liquor across his cheeks and chest.

Lance hummed softly as they walked, the occasional lyric or two popping up.

“I hear m’baby callin mname an I knowthathe’s thaonly one,” he slurred.

Thank god Pidge had pushed for a motel within walking distance. The crappy little building was finally insight, and not a moment too soon as Keith was starting to feel the drowsiness of driving all day wash over him. Just outside their door, Lance plopped down on the curb.

“What are you doing.” Keith stood with his hands on his hips staring down at his roommate.

“You coulda gone with her.”

“Why would I do that?”

“You could be with anyone!” Lance groaned and dropped his head into his hands.

“What? Lance, I'm gay and you know it.” Keith was so confused. “Why would I go with her? I'm here with you.”

Lance looked at him with wide eyes.

“I'm here with you and Hunk and Pidge and we have to be on the road in like 5 hours.” Keith plopped down next to Lance. 

Lance slumped back until he was laying flat on the sidewalk.

“You sure you're ok,” Lance said just loud enough for Keith to hear.

“I should be asking you that, I don't think I drank nearly as much as you.”

“No, I mean the grandpa thing.

“Lance, seriously, I don't want to talk about it any more this trip.” Keith sighed and looked down at Lance. His eyes were closed, a small frown on his face. “Come on, let's put you to bed.”

“Fine, but I'm putting a pillow between us, I don't want you getting cuddly, Kogane.”

“Yeah, I'm the problem here, octopus arms.” Keith rolled his eyes.

Keith walked Lance in and set him on the bed before heading for the shower. By the time he was done, Lance was wrapped completely around their buffer pillow. He climbed under the covers, shoving his best friend over a bit in the process.

“I don't believe you, but I'm glad you didn't go with her,” Lance mumbled mostly asleep.

Keith wasn't exactly sure what Lance didn't believe, so he patted his arm and rolled over passing out almost immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come bug me on tumblr
> 
> Main: hoddiemaine  
> Voltron blog: joinmeinthishell


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